The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-12-28
WHOLE NO. 1902.

Lottie replaced her engagement ring
on her finger, and Raymond never. toIsi
her how he h.d cured her Of airting.
The Garnish of Housekeeping.
We al knew the differencea little taste
and care make in the prepsrstioa Of our
food, and how mu-h more paltabie Is the
plainest fare daiutiiy served than the
most recherche cookery il carelesSlv or
untidily preplred. The same rale hold
good in the daily life, and no one shouId
be more alive to the fact than our house
keeper.
II is in most cases owing to this lack
ofgarnish that the majority Of the dih-
cgllies that beset the 18th century house
mothers arise. We lespise the day Of
small things. and ;, Gail by little and
little Little roaghness pass unchecked,
little eouTtesies neglected. little mean
nesses overlooked or laughed at. small
matters that seemed too trivial to notice
at the time which yet will in the end
amount 70 total as startling as it is
formidable.
We all know that in our housekeeping
It is not the large sums that are 50 trying
We count the cost ofa large outlay, aud
make provision for il; but il is the tiny
sums, the pennies and half pence. that
mount up 50 terribly and 50 mex pectedly
in our weekly accounts. Well. it IS the
same in our daily life the foolish jest.
harmless enough possibly to the elders,
but which the children hear with round
eyed horror, and discuss laterin nursery
concIave: the hasty. discourteons word
to your governess, for which you proba-
bly, apoIogized nicely enough later, bu,
which the maid. or the BARNS before
whom yod 50 thoughtiessly uttered it
will not forget A. soon as you do; the
sharp, perhafs uudessryesi reproof 10 the
servants-these you consider trifies very
likely, though how they tell on the well
being ola household few bat experienced
housekeepers realize. Al AL events,
these triies show lanentabie de-
ticiency in The garnish that makes
such an immense difference in the COM
fort Of our daily existence
A good deal Of the uncomfortable feel
ing that undoubtedly exists between
mistress and maid owes its origin in great
measure 10 this neglect ofsnall things.
\ few years ago there WAS an unbridge-
able gulf between up aud down stairs.
servants were expected to know their
place" were looked on as kind Of liV-
ing automata utterly unconscious of the
savings and doings Of the superior beings
they were privileged 10 serve Not be-
ing either blind, deaf Or dumb, they were
nothing Of the sort, bat, on the contrary,
nncommoniy sharp tand occasionally
nalicious) critics Of their -betters. aud
amply revenged the slight they were
quick to SET was put apon them.
This feeling we have now 70 combat
when trying in some measure to restore
the constant service of the antique
world" and the task is not light one;
the fathers have eaten sour grapes. and
the ehildren's teeth are set on edge"
We looked on our servants as a separate
class, with feelings utterly different to
ours, and incapable Of understanding
much less appreciating-the little gar
nish we considered only the ordinary
courtesy Of daily life in our station.
Well, they frankly accepted the situation
and, very naturally, insist on the advant-
ages of the position We have forced them
to take up. Treat man as a human
wolf, and if he shows his teeth, aye, and
use them. too, who shall blame him
And do YOU think that women, with
their more highly strung nerves and sen
sitive feelings, are likely to take the mat
ter more coolly? Hardly. We have de-
spised the garnish, and have only our
selves 70 thank if the rough edges show.
1t IS the same with our children. We
allo them to speak disrespeetfully to
ourselves. roughly to one another, rudely
To the servants. We actually foster their
selfishuess, and treat as clever jokes the
petty neanness and the spitefui speech
and then We wonder if our lads and
lasses grow up rough and uncouth, or. if
endowed with a surface polish, without
one single thought for anything outside
their own comfort. and We call heaven
and earth To witness that never since the
creation were parents so innocently un-
fortunate.
If women would only realize what a
powerful weapon real refinement is, they
would value it more for themselves and
cultivate it in their offspring
1t is the same in everything. Give
people credit for right feeling and good
and in nine eases out Of 10 vou
will do more to produce them than BY
the most eloquent adm0niiions or the
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